Street Fighter 5 in-game shop set to go live this month with first DLC character

Capcom told us that Street Fighter 5 would be a game that evolved over time, and this month we'll see what the company meant. An update to the game coming later this month will add returning fighter Alex, as well as new modes, an in-game shop, and the usual bug fixes.

Alex first showed up in Street Fighter 3, which takes place after Street Fighter 5 in the series' timeline. So you could say this is his true first appearance on the SF scene. Anyway, he's a big guy with big muscles, and as such, he's a bit slower than most characters. He's a specialist at grappling however, so if you're the type that likes to get in close and keep your opponents pinned, he's your guy.

You'll be able to acquire Alex via the new shop, which will sell not only new characters, but costumes as well. SF5 supports purchases made with real money, but you can also unlock items with Fight Money, which is earned simply by playing the game. Capcom's post announcing Alex's arrival notes that you should have enough Fight Money to buy him by completing all the current Story mode content.

Last but not least is the addition I'm personally most looking forward to: Demonstrations and Trials in Challenge mode. These walkthroughs will give you the ins and outs of each character, teaching you everything from movement basics to pro combos. For those of us who don't know our Spinning Bird Kicks from our Spiral Arrows, this is going to be invaluable as a practice tool.

Capcom says that all of these additions will be coming sometime later this month, and that an exact date will be revealed later. I'm writing "check in on SF5" every day on my calendar just in case.